We've already established my love for jeans. I have tried and tried and tried to break myself free of my denim habit, but it's just not happening, people. Jeans are easy and they are versatile and I really do love wearing them, so I'm not going to fight it anymore. 

And if you love jeans, then you should go ahead and wear them too! Once you find your style, you'll be much more confident in your skin and in your clothes. 

I also really love a good tee. But it can get boring for sure to wear a plain old tee day in and day out. So one way that I change up my look is by finding tees with fun details, patterns, or materials. PinkBlush has really cute maternity clothes, but they also have non-maternity women's clothing, plus-size clothing, and kids' clothing. 

This tee from PinkBlush is perfect for when I want to add an extra little something to my look. The black and white stripes are really cute, but the lace detailing on the sleeve really adds a little something extra.  The tee is actually pretty long, so it can be worn with leggings as well (my requirement for being able to wear leggings is that the shirt I'm wearing them with must cover my butt - and this tee does!). It is also the softest, comfiest tee, and I know I will be wearing this over and over again. 

​It's perfect for running around all day with the kids because it doesn't ride up, but it is also easy for me to nurse Chloe in it!  I actually wore this exact look out to dinner this weekend, but I could easily dress it up with heels and a big sparkly necklace or dress it down with leggings and sneakers. That's what I love about simple pieces - their versatility is always worth a little investment - and PinkBlush has a great selection of versatile tees like this!

Since I get asked all the time, here's a link to my beach waves tutorial on IGTV!

xoxo, 

​Jenise

A lot of you were very interested in what (and how) I packed for our Disney cruise, and have asked for a packing list for that.  So I put one together for you!

It's pretty self-explanatory. Some things I packed are specific to a Disney cruise, but I didn't really include them in here (super hero costumes, Mickey ears, pirate outfits). The cruise line also provided a pack n play so we didn't have to take that. They have high chairs available at every restaurant, and are really accommodating when it comes to food for kids (Chloe is already eating table food so I just took a few purees just in case). 

Chloe was also sick before we left on the cruise (she had a cold that turned into bronchiolitis) so I took more medication and a nebulizer to continue treating her and in case she got worse.

I also packed one outfit per day and didn't necessarily use them all. The day at Castaway Cay we were in swimsuits and cover ups all day, so the "outfits" for that day didn't get used. 

Click on the file below to download the PDF of my cruise packing list. 

Questions about what I packed? Suggestions on how to make it better? Send them over to jenise@atoddlerandatopknot.com!

Happy cruising!

xoxo, 

​Jenise

1. What I’m Watching: We have watched a whole slew of things: Tidying Up, YOU, and The Punisher. But last night we watched Fyre on Netflix and holy smokes. It's fascinating!
2. What I’m Reading:  The Tatooist of Auschwitz (finished it earlier this month), and I also just finished up Next Year in Havana. I loved them both!
3. My Current Obsession:  The Lavender Latte at Crema Gourmet Espresso Bar. I actually wrote most of this post while having one. Yum. 
4. Favorite Beauty Find: Rodan + Fields Radiant Defense - it's like a tinted moisturizer but a little better coverage, and it has SPF. 
5. What I’m Wearing: This super comfy knit (which is on sale for under $15 right now). It's perfect for Miami "cold" days. 
6. Best Meal I Ate: We had an at-home dinner date last weekend and hubby made some delicious steak. My mouth is still watering. 
7. What I'm Listening To: The Catholic Mama Podcast has some really great episodes! 
8. Favorite Purchase This Month: Honestly? The Disney Cruise we just went on - I'll have a review up for you soon, I promise! 
9. What I’m Most Looking Forward to This Month: Getting back to business after a couple weeks of holidays and travel! Those weeks were amazing, but I was starting to crave routine!
10. Wish List Item: It's not an item - it's to finally get organized and stay that way! I have my friend Jessica from Thoughtfully Organized coming over to do my kitchen next week and I'm SO excited!

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xoxo, 

​Jenise
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We spent the last days of 2018 and the first days of 2019 in a gorgeous cabin in Black Mountain, North Carolina. We spent a week there with family, and it was a great, relaxing way to start the year.  I'll share a little more about the location later this week, but one of the biggest hurdles for me for any trip is packing. 

I am a notorious overpacker, and since we are from Miami, traveling to where the temperature is even slightly colder than we're used to makes me want to be extra prepared. I over packed a little for this trip, but in all fairness we stayed in the cabin and in pajamas on multiple days, which means some of the other clothes I took didn't get used.  

We had a couple of activities planned and we knew we were going to the Biltmore Estate one of the days, so I made sure to pack a couple of outfits that were a little nicer (not fancy by any means but jeans instead of sweatpants and nicer sweaters that we never get to wear!). 

We stayed in a rental home, so there were some things we took that I might not have taken if we were staying in a hotel, but my list is pretty comprehensive. I've included some blank spaces for you to add in things that are specific to you and your family, but it's a good starting point! 

Click on the file below the image to download a PDF file of the packing list!

I hope this helps you pack for your next trip! And if you think I have forgotten anything, let me know in the comments! 

xoxo, 

​Jenise

I’m not one for making New Year’s resolutions, not really. Anytime I’ve ever done them in the past, I’ve set goals that are too high and the minute I falter, I give up entirely. So in the last few years, I haven’t done resolutions at all. As a matter of fact, I haven’t done much of anything.

But this year, after hearing about it a few years in a row, I decided I would do a word of the year. After a little self-reflection and being totally honest with myself, I decided that my word for 2019 would be SIMPLIFY. In all ways. Once I decided a word of the year, I was able to set some attainable goals for 2019 that would help me achieve the simplicity I have been craving. 

Over the last few years, I have felt bogged down. By compromisos, or things we feel we have to do, by stuff (SOOO MUCH STUFF with kids), by my wardrobe, and by the pressure to do it all. After a particularly busy holiday season, I decided that that was it. My primary “job” is supposed to be that of a stay-at-home mom. But my kids were not getting the best of me, at all. 
And simplifying was the only way to get it done. 
So for my photography business, simplifying means getting a client management software that will help me keep all my information and scheduling in one place. 

For the blog, it means I will have a schedule for writing, and I will try not to stay up until the wee hours getting posts done. 
For my home, it was to organize my closet and to organize the kids’ toys. 
For my personal life, it’s to be present and to not say yes to every invite or event that comes our way. Will I take photos? Yes. But I may upload posts later. Will I reply to your comments and DMs? Yes - but I may not reply within minutes. 
I feel like having a big word really helped me to narrow it down. Fitness is not at the top of my list this year. Neither is growing my business. There will be a time for both of those things, and 2019 is not the time. I recognize that. And while I did include a couple of goals like, “Move more,” and “Drink more water,” I know that those are completely attainable and within my reach. 
So now that we are more than halfway through January, and I’m no longer on any vacation or planning for one, I’m putting this into practice. On Friday, I started thinking about Chloe’s birthday. At first, I said I would cut a cake with family at home. Then I started coming up with ideas, and pinning my life away on Pinterest. Within 15 minutes, it had gone from a small cake cutting at home with family, to a small-ish birthday party at a park with a bounce house and way too many details to oversee. I researched venues, made calls. And then I thought to myself, “How will this serve me or my family? How is this fitting into the theme of simplicity?” And the answer, before I had finished asking myself the question, was No. No it is not serving our purpose. No, it is not fitting into the theme of simplicity. 

And as quickly as I scaled it up, I scaled it down. 

And that’s what it’s about. It’s about knowing that you may get off course, but being able to bring yourself back. If you set resolutions and have veered off track a little, know that you can get back. Tomorrow is a new day.

Keep it simple, babe. 

Xoxo
Jenise